Safety attachment for firearms



Jan. 12 ,1925. 1,559,553

F. E. LEWIS ET AL SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR FiREARMS Filed June 10, 1925Patented Jan. 12, 1926.

-' T l" F F [C E FRED E. LEWIS AND THOMAS J. WILLIAMS, 0]? UTICA, NEWYORK.

SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR FIREARMS.

Application filed June 10, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRED E. LEWIS and THOMAS J. WVILLIAMs, citizens ofthe United States, residing at the city of Utica, in the county ofOneida and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulTmprovements in Safety Attachments for Firearms, of which the followingis a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawing.

Our invention relates to a safety attachment for firearms, and wedeclare the following to be a full, clear, concise and exact descriptionthereof sufficient to enable anyone skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to likeparts throughout the specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a device that can be readilyattached to any firearm in such manner as to prevent the accidentalrelease of the trigger, when the firearm is cooked, and yet, permit theuser to release the trigger manually when shoot- Furthermore, the deviceis designed to make possible a quicker firing of the gun thanheretofore, as was the case with the trigger and, also to lessen thedanger of any accidental discharge of the firearm. Moreover, it willenable the user to wear gloves or other covering without interferingwith the accuracy of aiming and discharging the gun. This feature willbe found useful particularly in cold weather when gloves are necessary.

The object will be understood by referring to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of firearm showing the device attachedthereto;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section taken on the line 2, 2 of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a part of the atachment;

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of a member employed;

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a latch employed showing a partthereof separated therefrom and about faced;

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of another memb r empl yed;

Serial No. 36,251.

Fig. 7 is a perspective detail view of a plate and immediate parts used;

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of a lu used.

lteferring more particularly to the drawings, an ordinary firearm isrepresented by 1 having a trigger 2 and trigger guard 3, which parts areold and well known in the art.

The parts that are new embody a member 5 made preferably of metal andhaving a recess 6 conforming in shape to that of the trigger guard 3which is housed therein, when the device is attached to the firearm. Alaterally projecting lug 7 is mounted to member 5 adjacent wall 8 ofrecess 6 by screw bolts 8', 8 engaging threaded apertures in lug 7. Lug7 is adapted to project through trigger guard 3, when assembled, so thatthere is provided space all about lug 7 for the disposition of saidguard 3. An aperture 10 is made transversely through lug 7 for theprojection of headed bolt 11, that is screw mounted to wall 8 of member5, whereby to attach removable plate 12 to member 5 to close recess 6.Shoulders 9, 9 are formed integral with the inner surface of plate 12and are adapted to engage the upper surface of the adjacent part oftrigger guard 3, whereby to hold plate 12 rigidly in place whenassembled to member 5 by bolt 11. Furthermore, wall 8 of member 5 isrecessed at 15 for mounting rock arm 16 that is pivoted on a stud 17formed integral with wall 8. The lower end of rock arm 16 carries ahorizontally disposed plate 18 adapted to cover normally a recess 20located in the under surface of member 5. Plate 18 is held againstshoulder 21 formed in member 5 and in closed position to cover recess 20by a coiled spring 22 disposed in an annular recess 23 formed in thesolid part 24 of member 5 and attached at one end to a hook 25 formedintegral with part 24 and at the other to rock arm 16. A hole 26 is madein arm 16 for attaching the end of said spring 22.

Moreover, plate 18 is locked in closed position by spring pressed latchmember 30. Latch member 30 moves in a vertical plane in. recess 27 madein solid part 24 of mem her 5 and screw mounted to plunger 28 heldnormally in lower position by a coiled spring 26 housed thereabove in anannu-- larly formed recess and engaging the up standing shank 31 ofplunger 28. Plunger 28 has also an annular headed part 32 below shank31, on the under side of which headed part 32 is formed a ridge 33adapted to be engaged by the finger of the operator, when shooting. A.small unbroken space 34 of member separates ridge 33 of plunger 28 fromplate 18. Latch is adapted to engage a correspondingly formedor openposition. Immediately the finger has passed over ridge 33 of head 32 andplate 18 been moved to the rear, latch member;30 will fly ba-ekunderpressure of coiled spring 26 to engage'reccss 35 in plate 18 when itreturns to'closed position.

The means for engaging trigger 2 embodies a plate'4O resting above plate18 and having an arm 41 formedintegral with one edge thereof "andprovided with'an ofltset at 42 to allow for clearance of trigger guard3. Arm 41 is housed inrecess 43 made in lug 7. 'Said recess beingenlarged at 44 for offset portion 42.". Aishoulderis made at 45 in arm41 foriholjding one end ofa coiled spring 46 disposedfab'outthe'upperend 47 of arm 41 and resting in recess 4'2. Recess 44 is re 'duced at 48to form a shoulder to hold the end of spring46. Spring 46, will urgenormally plate 40 to lower position. A proje'ctor 46; formed 011 plate40 and adapted to engage a guide recess having a shoulder 49, isintended to limit the lowermost position of plate :40.

Arm 41 projects beyond lug 7 and is adapted to engage or he veryclose totrigger 2, whereby any upward movement of plate 40 will be communicatedto trigger 2 through arm 41 and, thereby, move said trigger 2 toreleasing position.

It'will be observed thatthe lower surface of part 50 of member 5projects a little below the plane of head 32 and ridge 33 of latch 30,whereby to protect said parts from being disturbed accidentally.

'The operation ofthe deviceis effected by attachingtlie partsto afirearm, which can be done by applying member 5 with lug 7 projectingthroughtrigger guard 3 and fastening plate 12 in place by projectingbolt 11 through lug 7 and screwing it into wall8 of member 5. thisposition the free end of arm 41 will beadjacent trigger 2 and be inposition to releasesaid trigger 2 to discharge the firearm when actuatedat the will of the user, Herder to actuate said arm 41, the

user will hold the gun in firing position and draw his finger acrossridge 33 of head 32 of plunger 28, thereby elevating said plunger 28 andlatch 30 connected thereto within their respective sockets, whereby torelease latch 30 from engaging recess 35 in plate 18 at the same timethe finger must begin to move plate 18 toward the rear. As plate 18moves toward the rear, it will uncover plate 40 which will be engagedalso by the same finger that actuates plate 18.

The movement of plate '40 will cause arm 41 to move trigger 2 toreleasing position to discharge the firearm; i

It will be observed thatthe actuation of the partsifor discharging thefirearm does not differ in manner of manipulation from the oldmethod andyet, has the additional security' ot preventing the accidental discharge of the firearm. Both the latch 30 and plate 18 mu'st be movedsimultaneously for such discharge; The movement of latch 30 without themovement of plate 18 will not permit the firearm to discharge.Furthermore, plate 18 cannot bemovedunless latch 30 is pressed againstspring 26. '7

The attachment hereinabove described can be made asan integral part ofthe gun if desired.

Having thus describedour invention what we claim'as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a safety attachment for firearms having a trigger, a memberenclosing said trigger, means for securing said member to a'firearm, anarm mounted in said member adapted to engage saidtrigger, and a movableplate permitting said arm to be actuated, whereby to discharge thefirearm.

2. In a safety attachment for firearms having a trigger, a memberenclosing said trigger, laterally projecting lug on said member. a boltadapted to engage said lug, whereby to hold the member to said firearm,an arm adapted to engage said trigger, and a plunger and a platepermitting said arm to beactuated, whereby to discharge the firearm.

3, In a safety attachment for firearms having a, trigger, a member, alug attached to said member, a plate, a bolt for securing said plate tosaid member and said firearm,

5. In a firearm having a trigger, a member 7 for enclosingisaid trigger,a spring pressed arm adapted to make. contactwlth said trigger, amovable plate for covering said arm,

and means for locking said plate in given said arm, and other means forlocking said position. plate in given position.

6. In a safety attachment for firearms In testimony whereof We haveafiixed our 10 having means for discharging the same, a signatures. 5member for enclosing said means, a spring pressed arm adapted to makecontact with FRED E. LEWIS. said means, a movable plate for coveringTHOMAS J. WILLIAMS.

